The verdict in three sentences
For a public or para-public body, digital accessibility is not optional: WCAG 2.1 AA compliance is a legal obligation with possible sanction. In 2026, the accessibility premium is 12-20% of a site budget, a compliance audit costs 3,000-8,000 EUR and remediation 5,000-20,000 EUR, over 4 to 8 weeks. The accessibility statement and multi-year plan are mandatory and public.
What WCAG 2.1 AA requires in practice
The standard breaks down into verifiable control points: sufficient contrast, full keyboard navigation, text alternatives for images, labelled forms, coherent heading structure, screen-reader compatibility. A public site must reach a high compliance rate and declare it honestly.
| Key criterion | WCAG AA requirement | Common error |
|---|---|---|
| Text contrast | ratio >= 4.5:1 | light gray on white |
| Keyboard navigation | 100% of functions | mouse-only menus |
| Image alternatives | meaningful alt | empty or missing alt |
| Forms | explicit labels | placeholder as label |
| Heading structure | h1-h6 hierarchy | skipped headings |
| Media | captions/transcript | videos without captions |
How much compliance costs in 2026
Budget depends on site size and starting state. 2026 orders of magnitude for the public/para-public sector.
| Line item | Range EUR | Delay |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance audit (page sample) | 3,000 - 5,000 | 2-3 weeks |
| Full compliance audit (large site) | 5,000 - 8,000 | 3-4 weeks |
| Light remediation | 5,000 - 10,000 | 3-4 weeks |
| Heavy remediation | 10,000 - 20,000 | 5-8 weeks |
| Accessibility statement + plan | 1,000 - 2,500 | 1 week |
| Accessibility premium (new site) | 12 to 20% of budget | built in |
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mr Bertrand, communications director of a para-public body in London, must bring a 40-template site into compliance. He budgets 6,500 EUR for a full audit and 14,000 EUR for remediation, i.e. 20,500 EUR. By building accessibility into the next site from the design stage (90,000 EUR budget), the premium would be only 15%, i.e. 13,500 EUR instead of 20,500 EUR in catch-up. Anticipating accessibility saves 7,000 EUR here and avoids sanction risk, while widening reach to the millions of people with disabilities.
FAQ
Is accessibility really mandatory? Yes for the public and para-public sector: WCAG 2.1 AA applies, with an obligation to publish an accessibility statement and a multi-year plan. Non-compliance exposes you to administrative sanction.
What level should we target? WCAG 2.1 level AA. Level AAA is not required, but some criteria are recommended depending on use cases.
How much does the audit alone cost? Between 3,000 and 8,000 EUR depending on site size and the number of templates audited. The audit produces a compliance rate and a prioritized fix list.
Better to fix or rebuild? For a recent site, remediation is often enough. For an old, unstructured site, building accessibility into a rebuild costs less than piling on patches.
What premium on a new site? Expect 12 to 20% of budget if accessibility is built in from design, versus far more in catch-up. It's where anticipation pays off most.
Let's scope your project. Tell us the number of templates, your CMS and your compliance deadline, and we'll cost the audit and remediation. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
